The Pariah
by MoonlightMystery13.3
Summary: Magic doesn't work on the Nekross, that's a fact Tom knows from experience. And yet, walking home one night, he and Benny stumble on a girl who defies that fact at every turn. She's a mystery, and one that's not willing to be solved. T for angst later on, no slash, as usual, and a multi-chapter story! :)
1. Surprise

A/N: Hello, everyone! Welcome to this story! This one is kind of special, because:

a) It's a multi-chapter with chapters longer than drabbles, which I love, but are so short.

b) It's a W v. A story that features more characters than Tom and Benny.

c) I already have all of it but the last chapter written!

d) It involves some cool, fairly major headcanons of mine.

 **Just so you guys know, this story will be updated** **on Wednesdays, each week.**

Please review, if you have a moment, because I'd love to hear what you think. Reviews are cookies! *is a cookie-hungry owlcat monster*

 **Be the reason someone smiles today! :)**

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They hadn't even been looking for another wizard.

Tom and Benny had taken it upon themselves to track wizards around them. After all, if Benny's equipment could find them, it was only a matter of time before the Nekross would. So, the boys had spent numerous school nights and weekends out in forest, pastures, and in one memorable instance, a local swamp, to break up wizard rituals before the Nekross could sense them. Much of the time, they succeeded, sometimes, they failed. Both simply strengthened their resolve.

But, at that moment, the boys were walking home from an afternoon out with their friends, minding their own business. Suddenly, a familiar blue light beamed down from the sky, lighting up the dark bridge the boys stood on. Both tensed, Tom hastily recalling his spell count, and Benny grasping the prototype stun grenade in his pocket, and wondered frantically if it was ready to test.

The strange thing was, the Nekross weren't focused on them at all, but the figure in front of them. It was a girl, about their age, in a dark sweatshirt. Tom was about to call a warning, but Varg (because of course Varg _had_ to be there) beat him to it.

"Halt, puny human. You have tried to mask your magic, a cowardly move, but you have been unsuccessful. The Nekross will always capture their prey, wizard scum! You would do well to tremble before our might!"

The boys expected the girl to scream, or run away, or freeze in confusion or fear, perfectly reasonable reactions to encountering the Nekross for the first time. This girl, however, did none of those things.

She began to laugh.

It was not a happy, mirthful laugh. It was dark and bitter as black licorice, and it took everyone aback.

"You think you're scary, pineapple face?" She asked Varg, quietly, but in a carrying voice. "Think again." She dropped a small cube. Varg and the Nekross guards flinched back warily, expecting it to explode. Tom heard Benny inhale sharply behind him.

"No way," the genius breathed, "she didn't!"

"She didn't what?" Tom asked quietly, hoping not to alert the Nekross to their presence just yet.

"She's made a magic beacon, something that simulates a continuous stream of strong magic, without using any, and she's synced it to only react to Nekross tech, and she can turn it on and off." Benny looked torn between being impressed and disappointed. "I was working on something like that, so we could use it as a distraction. But it was complicated, and time-consuming, and there were other things that needed to get done." His admiration seemed to win out. "It takes some serious skills to throw something like that together."

It seemed Varg also recognized something in the innocent cube, and something darkened his face.

The girl laughed again, cold and dark. "You see it now, don't you, Varg of Nekron? You thought you were hunting me..." She lowered her hood, and her eyes burned like brands. "But I was hunting you."

Varg's eyes widened, and something very like raw fear flashed in them. Tom was taken aback; he'd seen Varg scared before, but the proud prince never showed it intentionally. Without taking his eyes off of the girl in front of him, Varg snapped his wrist guard open. "Zarntulous, beam us back!" He snapped urgently.

At the same moment, the girl narrowed her eyes, harshly cried,"Kel breath drah!" and snapped her fingers. A stream of magic flew from her fingers, and dove down Varg's throat. His eyes widened, he tried to take a breath, and nothing happened. He fell to the ground, completely limp, and then the light recaptured him and the guards with him.

The bridge was dark again, empty and silent except for the wind blowing the leaves across the pavement.

Then, without turning, the girl spoke.


	2. Introductions and Stars

A/N: Hello, everyone! Here I am, perfectly on time! If only this story was so obliging. I had most of it written, as I told you, and then an extra scene appeared out of nowhere, which might make the last scene obsolete. I guess we'll just have to see.

Thank you so much to my **Guest** reviewer, both of whose reviews did actually make it through to make me happy, and to **NeversideFaerie** , for their encouraging review. Thank you for feeding the hungry owlcat. *shares cookies*

 **Be the reason someone smiles today! :)**

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 _Then, without turning, the girl spoke._

"I'd just forget you saw that, if I were you. No one would ever believe you if you did."

Tom shook off his shock. "Try me."

The girl turned, slowly, meeting Tom's eyes. Her face was hard, untrusting, and difficult to read. After focusing a moment, she let out a slight sigh. "You're a wizard, then, huh?"

"Yes," He replied "You?"

"Obviously," Benny cut in, stepping in front of his friend. "How else could she simulate magic so accurately, if she didn't know what it was supposed to feel like?" He rolled his eyes. "Plus, I mean, she just used her magic right in front of us." He stepped forward, holding out his hand. "I'm Benny. That magic beacon is brilliant, by the way. I'd love to see more of your work."

The girl tilted her head to one side, regarding his outstretched hand cooly. Then she quirked a slight smile, and took it. "You're an Unenchanted, aren't you?" She asked, something like regard coloring her tone. "And you know about your friend." Something indistinguishable flashed in her eyes. "I like that." Her face fell. "The magic simulator's not actual my design," she said,"That would be my best friend's. She's actually Unenchanted too."

"She sounds brilliant," Benny said warmly. "I'd love to meet her sometime."

She smiled slightly. "Yeah." A pause. "I don't think I caught you friend's name, Benny."

Tom looked at her evenly. "And I think I missed yours."

"Touche. My name is Shira." Shira looked challengingly at Tom. "And you are?"

"Tom. Tom Clarke."

"Well, Tom Clarke, Benny, it was nice talking to you. See you around." Shira turned, and began to walk away. Tom and Benny exchanged an odd look.

"Hang on," Tom yelled after her, walking swiftly to catch her up, "You can't just walk away."

"No? And why not, Tom Clarke?"

"You just used magic to stun one of the Nekross! And it worked! Do you have any idea how rare that is?" Tom put on a burst of speed and ended up in front of Shira. "You have to come home with me."

Shira raised an eyebrow. "Um, no thank you. I'm flattered, but just no."

Tom rolled his eyes. "Don't be weird; my gran would love to meet you, and my dad. We've been fighting the Nekross for so long, Shira, you have no idea, and someone whose magic works against them would be incredibly helpful. Benny and I have been saving wizards, but we've had to rely on Benny's gadgets. If we had your magic too, just imagine how many more we could save. Come on," he said, stopping, "come with us."

Shira looked at him, dark eyes betraying nothing. Then her face thawed, and she nodded. "Sure. Why not? We are, after all, fighting the same fight. And you'll need all the magic you can get."

Tom fought to keep the grin off his face, but couldn't manage it. "Great. That's amazing. Come on, we're just a couple streets this way."

The three walked, in calm silence. A train whistle blew in the distance, the night wind rustled gently, and their feet made muffled thuds on the brick below foot. Shira looked up at the stars, the few that could be seen in the bright London sky.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Benny asked quietly, doing the same. Shira started slightly, as though she'd forgotten she was no longer walking alone.

"Yeah," she answered, almost wistfully. "Yeah, they are."

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A/N: I'd love to hear what you think, if you have a minute to review. Thank you in advance! See you guys next Wednesday! :D


	3. On Shaky Grounds

A/N: Hello, everyone. I'm so sorry I'm late. I had a hard week, but I should have remembered to update. Anyway, it's here now. This chapter's a little slower, but the plot'll pick up next chapter. I hope the characters aren't OOC, because I'm still not sure about all of them.

Enormous thanks to **NeversideFaerie** and **isabeljones2000** for your kind reviews. I immensely enjoyed them both. :)

 **Be the reason someone smiles today! :)**

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"Tom?" Michal called as they stepped through the door. "Little late, aren't you?"

"Funny, Dad. I brought someone."

Michal came down the stair, shrugging on a light jacket. "A girl," he remarked, smiling down at Shira. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"She's a wizard, Dad, and her magic works against the Nekross!" Tom explained, excitedly.

Michal regarded Shira with interest. "Hang on," he said, "But magic doesn't work on the Nekross, no magic does."

"That's what I'm saying, Dad, her does. It was amazing, she took down Varg like that," Tom went to snap his fingers, and then laughed. Benny joined in.

"Yeah, actually, exactly like that." Tossing his coat on a hook, Benny moved into the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything to drink, Shira?" he asked, pulling out a soda for himself. Shira smiled, but shook her head.

"No, thank you though." she turned back to Michal. "Since Tom didn't mention my name, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Shira."

Michael shook her hand. "Charmed." He looked behind her to Tom. "I suppose you all will be moving into the Chamber?"

Tom nodded. "Yeah, I think so. Shira should meet Gran, and I think we should start making a battle plan. Heading out?" He asked, nodding towards Michal's jacket.

"Yeah," his dad replied. "Smoke detector's out, and I figured I'd run out and grab another one before someone has a chance to start a fire. Lovely to meet you, Shira," he said, smiling, as he passed her. Clapping a hand on Tom's shoulder, Michal walked out the door.

Tom touched Shira's arm. "The Chamber's over here."

Shira followed Tom, and Benny abandoned his soda to bring up the rear. "Chamber?" Shira asked, staring in bemusement as the door opened to reveal the bathroom. "You do your anti-alien plotting in the loo?"

Tom grinned. "Nope. Just making sure no one's in there. Otherwise, it can get awkward." He closed the door, and knocked twice. "Chamber of Crow, open to me, reveal yourself, on the knock of three," he chanted quietly, and knocked once more.

He opened the door, and gestured for Shira to lead down the torch-lit tunnel. She stepped through, slowly, staring around in disbelief at the impossible space. Tom and Benny followed, giving her space, and watching her reaction with fond smiles. After a moment, Benny tapped Tom on the shoulder.

"If she's a wizard, you know, one properly raised and everything, shouldn't she know about Chambers?" He asked curiously, glancing at Shira's awed face. Tom shrugged, smirking slightly.

"It could be that she's just never seen one so cool. Other families Chambers reflect their taste and personality."

"Oh, so you're dim, dirty, and dramatic, then?"

"No, of course not, Benny, we're cool."

Benny rolled his eyes, grinning. "Yeah, right. I like my version better."

"Well, just don't let Moon hear you talk about the Chamber that way, whatever you do. He'd have a fit."

They passed from the tunnel into the main room, and as they did so, something in the very foundations of the Chamber trembled beneath their feet, sending shivers of foreboding up Tom's spine.

Something was very wrong.


	4. Drained

A/N: Hello, all. Again, I'm late updating this, and I sincerely apologize for that. Finals are next week, and I just finished up my last projects before them, but I'm still kind of scrambling. Sorry again about being late, though. *offers cookies to one and all* My headcanon makes an appearance here, so I'm pretty psyched for this chapter. Any questions, comments, remarks, or poetry, PM me, and I'd be happy to converse with you. :D

Special thanks to **NeversideFaerie** to reviewing. :3 You make me so incredibly happy.

 **Be the reason someone smiles today!**

* * *

"Uh, what was that?" Benny asked, looking at Tom for an answer. Tom shrugged, clearly clueless. "Beats me."

Ursula Crow bustled out of a corner, wringing her hands slightly. "Tom, dear! What on Earth was that?" She ducked back out of sight, before Tom could reply, so he addressed his reply to Randal Moon.

"I have no idea, but that's not important!" He gestured to Shira. "Her magic-"

"Not important? Not important, you say?" Snapped Moon impatiently. "That will be a magical tremor! There be'a strange magic entering the Chamber uninvited! And that young lady there beside you is no wizard!" He bristled. "Why will you be a'bringing a stranger and killer into the Chamber?"

Benny scrunched up his brow. "What do you mean, she isn't a wizard? She has magic, of course she's a wizard."

"Plus," Tom chimed in, hotly, "her magic works on the Nekross! She knocked Varg out, no problem." He grinned. "Isn't that great?"

Shira met Moon's angry glare head on with a cool, even look. "A hobgoblin. It's been a long time since I've seen one of your kind, and I can't say I particularly enjoyed the experience. But, anyway," she continued, turning to Benny, "The hobgoblin is actually correct. I'm not a wizard, not really. But yes, I do have magic."

"Okay," Benny drew out the word, confused. "How exactly does that work?"

"Wizards follow a code of nonviolence, among other beliefs. Now, in order to be a wizard, one must believe in that code, and all the rest. There is wizard in the loosest sense, someone with magic, but then there is also wizard, which includes all those beliefs and practices. If one has magic, but doesn't believe in some of all the the wizard's way, then, just to be clear, they don't call himself a wizard. We're called Pariahs, and our magic is slightly different. A little wilder, a little more dangerous, and a little more instinctive. I used to be a wizard, a full, real wizard, but I lost my belief in those ways when the Nekross killed all my family and friends," she finished, coldly, facing Moon again.

Benny thought for a moment. "So, it's being a Pariah, and not a regular wizard that gives you your ability to harm the Nekross?"

Shira smiled. "About that... I may have let you believe I could do that, when I can't." She shrugged. "No, my magic bounces off of them, just as yours, and every other magic user's does."

"Hang on," Tom said, "Then how were you able to knock out Varg?"

"I didn't," Shira replied, quietly. "I never said I did. I just didn't disagree when you said I did."

"Aye," Moon agreed, coldly. "Shira will not be knocking out the Other Worldly Ones. She will be a killing them."

A shocked silence fell over the Chamber. "Shira?" Tom asked, "Did you really-?"

"Yes, I did," Shira answered, with not a hint of remorse. She stood, straight and proud. "Varg was a pompous, uncaring monster, and I certainly won't lose any sleep over him."

Benny's troubled eyes found hers. "So that's what the beacon was for. It wasn't a distraction, it was a trap."

"I would have thought that was fairly obvious from the whole, 'I have been hunting you' line, but yes," Shira confirmed. "I have no love for the Nekross. They take our people, drain, them, consume them, ruin them. My family thought we would be safer in a wizard settlement."

She snorted deprecatingly. "We weren't. The Nekross found us, and I was one of the only survivors. A whole village, gone. Razed to the ground."

Her eyes burned with the same anger she had faced Varg with. "They drained my parents, my older brother, my little sister, and left them in space to die. They disintegrated my best friend, because she dared to try to save a toddler who had magic."

Shira's eyes found them each in turn. "So yes, I was a wizard. I believed wholeheartedly in peace. I dreamed of reasoning with the Nekross, of slowly changing their minds, working out something that might benefit both Nekross and wizard kinds. Then I was left orphaned, broken, and alone in a single stroke," she finished in a slow, outraged tone. "And you would have me show them mercy?"

Her eyes flashed. "Never."


	5. Stalemate

A/N: *sighs* I seem to be reeeeeally bad at the whole weekly updating thing, don't I? I'm very sorry. In future, I think I'll change the update day to over the weekend, which seems to be when I update regardless. This chapter's a bit short, but the next will be extra long to make up for it. :)

Thank you to my wonderful reviewer **isobeljones2000** and **NeversideFaerie** for your generous reviews, and patience with my sporadic updating. 3

 **Be the reason someone smiles today! :D**

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Silence fell, apparently even Moon was shocked and grieved for her. Then Tom spoke.

"Shira, I understand. Really, I do. My mother was killed by the Nekross. I've seen what they do to wizards, and I agree that they have to be stopped. But violence in return isn't the answer, Shira. We are both intelligent, and some of the Nekross are more reasonable than you might think. We can win them over, find something other than war to agree on, and, in the meantime, work to save everyone we can. But killing isn't the answer, Shira. Killing is never the answer."

Shira shook her head, slowly. "Tom Clarke," she said, softly, "It's not as simple as you would like it to be. You can preach peace all you like, save the ones you can, come home at the end of the day to your family and friends, and it will not change the fact that while you try to reason with the Nekross, to win them over, wizards are dying. Magic is dying. There are so many you don't save, you can't save." She sighed. "If you had said the same to me, just months ago, I would have agreed wholeheartedly that there's another way, a higher road. But now, now that my family and friends are all dead? No. You can be the peace bringer, Tom Clarke. You can be the white knight. But it won't get you anywhere, not really, because negotiations don't work with the Nekross. You can't stop them from being hungry. It's either us or them, and I, for one, am sick and tired of watching wizard blood be spilled."

It was Benny, this time, who broke the silence after Shira's speech. "I'm sorry your family died. And you make a good point, but violence can't be the right response. If we go out and kill all of them, how can we claim to be better than the Nekross? But I'm not going to argue with you about that. I'm still confused about how your magic effected the Nekross at all."

Shira smiled, darkly. "It doesn't. I'm just creative, and wanted to fire to kill. I experimented a bit, and figured out that while magic doesn't work on the Nekross, the air inside Nekross lungs is totally fair game. I expanded it rapidly, killing nearly instantly as suffocation and internal bleeding result from the blown out lungs." She laughed that humorless laugh again. "It's really quite neat. The only issue is that I can only use one spell per Nekross, so even if I increase my chances of finding them with the beacon, I can only take out three a day."

Looking around the silent, disturbed, almost judgmental room, Shira sighed slightly. "I know it sounds like I don't care, like their live don't matter. All life has value. But even the wizards killed the vampires, the wraiths, and felt nothing but satisfaction, to save humanity. How is what I'm doing any different?" She shook her head. "We both believe we're doing the right things, Tom Clarke, Benny. But I think our paths lie in very different directions." She bowed, slightly, formally, and then began to walk out of the Chamber.

Then she turned back. "Tom," she began, "I really do hope the white knight path works out for you. You and Benny make a great team, and I'm sure you'll save a lot of lives, in your own way. I know I will." Her face darkened. "I just hope you never have to learn what it takes to drive someone from your path to mine. Goodbye, Tom Clarke."

And with that, she turned and strode out of the Chamber.


	6. Endgame- The Pariah and The Sacrifice

A/N: Hello, everyone! Hope you're all doing well. :)

THANK YOU to **aWildGirlAppeared** for reviewing the last chapter. :) Yes, indeed, I actually killed off Varg. Sorry, Varg. *isn't actually very sorry because it would never happy on screen*

And now, please enjoy this very long, stubbornly from a completely different POV than the rest of the story chapter.

 **Be the reason someone smiles today! :)**

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 **(Tom's POV)**

All of us were too stunned for several minutes, standing, staring after Shira in shock. I came to my senses first, and bolted after her, catching up with her as she was walking down the street. "Shira," I panted, trying to get her to stop. She did, freezing for a moment. Then she turned, face completely emotionless. Something dangerous flashed in her eyes, unchecked and wild, and I knew that it was her Pariah magic. I swallowed, suddenly nervous.

"Shira... If you go, will you keep killing the Nekross?" I asked, seriously, an edge to my voice. It wasn't a threat. Not quite.

"Yes," she answered, answering near threat for near threat, drawing herself up to her full, icy height. "I don't care what you say. You cannot stop me."

"No?" I asked, fingers ready to snap. "Do you know who I am, what I've done? I'm powerful, Shira. I could stop you. I will, if I have to."

Shira threw back her head and laughed that dark laugh again. "You, stop me? I'm about as scared as you as I was of Varg, Tom Clarke. Did you not understand me?" She asked, coldly, and spoke clearly, without a hint of remorse. "I blew out his lungs. I let him know he was going to die, relished his fear, and ended his life forever. Power? What do you know of power, Tom, with your high and mighty ideals, and Wizard magic?"

She glared, and behind her, the skies darkened, the wind whipped her hair, lightning flashed. "I am the PARIAH," she boomed with the thunder, "And I will not let _any_ stand in my way!"

The storm quieted slightly, subsiding to a brisk wind. Silence for a moment. Then she spoke again, more quietly. "I am saving the world, Tom. I don't want to hurt you, I think we're trying to do the same thing, but if you try to stop me, I cannot be held responsible for my actions." Her eyes flashed, once, reflective as a cat's, magic covering them. "Let. Me. Go." She held out a hand, seeming open and unthreatening to an unenchanted, but a clear and ready offense to any wizard. "And I won't have to hurt you. Or your unenchanted friend."

Anger stirred within me. "You leave Benny alone," I shot back, hotly. "He's got nothing to do with this!"

Shira snorted. "You sell him short; Benny is the only reason you've been successful thus far. He is your best friend, and I would hate to see him hurt..." she trailed off meaningfully. "But not nearly as much as you would, I imagine."

I stood, shaking with anger. "Why? Using Benny against me is just the sort of thing the Nekross would do, Shira. I don't believe that you're like them; I think you're one of the good guys! Why prove me wrong? Why kill?"

That was, evidently, the wrong thing to say. The storm whipped back up, lightning flashing, and Shira screamed, "I AM NOTHING LIKE THEM!"

That's when things really started to go wrong. Fire burned in Shira's eyes, and lightning struck just feet from me. I cried out, sound lost in the deafening clap of thunder, and fell backward, dazed. The world was a shower of fire and fury, swirling around one very frightening, very powerful, wild and broken girl, and I couldn't be sure of anything but the pavement under my shaking fingers.

"TOM!" Someone screamed from very far away. I thought it might be Benny. "UP!"

I looked up, an old oak plummeting towards me, rested from the ground by the terrible storm. The world flew suddenly into slow motion. I saw Benny, and my dad and gran running through me, as through syrup. I saw the terrible beauty fall from Shira's face, the Pariah leave, and the girl come back. Saw her eyes change, saw her make a choice of some sort, had a second to realize I was going to die, and then BAM. Contact. Something barreled into me with near impossible force, and I felt magic rush into me, not mine, but one that was much different, complex and layered and free. I knew, somehow, that it was Shira's. It carried her darkness, her broken, taped-up heart, and underneath that, a fierce current of _protect protect protect_ , and an understanding and responsibility of her actions, even the ones that brought death, deeper than I ever would have expected. I realized for the first time that it wasn't that Shira didn't realize that killing could corrupt and ruin her, but that she accepted that price, thinking it worth it, if she could only save those that needed saving. Part of that rush of magic clearly had a purpose, a goal, though it wouldn't tell me what, but most of it was simply pure, rich magic.

Wizards don't give each other magic, not anymore. Not unless they know they're dying, and they don't have a staff to pass a piece of themselves into. They ask permission, almost always, before tossing their magic into another wizard, but Shira did nothing of the sort. I was, frankly, confused. I was the one about to die. The tree was falling; what was she putting her magic in me for? Did she want to lose what felt the bulk of her power? That didn't make any sense at all.

Then though, as I found myself several blocks down the road, well out of the way of the tree, I understood. She had saved me, that purposeful magic had been told to get me out, but keep me close, and it had done just that. I could have hated Shira. Maybe I should have, but I simply couldn't bring myself to. I felt, instinctively, that she wasn't what she appeared to be, that she didn't want to kill, that she had been forced into what she'd become. This only confirmed that. Shira could have saved herself. If she's truly believed in her way over mine, she would have. Having less than a split second, she wouldn't have had time to deliberate, just do whatever came to her most naturally, what existed at the very core of her being. And my saving so neatly revealed that.

My family hugged me tightly when I got to them, and they realized the crumpled, lifeless body that could just be made out under the branches wasn't mine. Gran wiped tears off her face, and wouldn't let me go for a full minute. Benny had his arms around me before I could get my breath back. He was shaking, slightly, and told me never to do that again, in an equally shaky voice. I hugged him back, freaked out by the day's events, glad of the comfort. It was over.

And yet, it wasn't. Shira's magic burned in my veins, and I had no idea what to do with it, no idea how that changed things. Plus, Shira had died for me, without a second thought, even right after informing me that no one, nothing would get in the way of her revenge. She had let that revenge go in an instant, to save a life. My life.

And I'd never been so happy to be alive.

A soft laugh sounded on the breeze, so different from Shira's dark, bitter one. _Don't make me regret it_ , Shira teased me, and her magic perked up, as if to listen. _You know I'll come back to haunt you if I have to._

Then, all was quiet, on the dark, dark street.

"It's done," I said, simply, and it was.

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A/N: Or is it, though? This is the end, but I might write an epilogue. I haven't decided yet. :) You could leave me a review, and let me know if you's like to see one, because that would probably motivate me fairly effectively.


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